System and device for measuring the quantity of air sent out in one or more breaths



F. BORTINI Aug. 17, 1943.

SYSTEM-AND DEVICE FOR MEASURING THE QUANTITY OF AIR SENT OUT IN ONE OR MORE BREATHE Filed July 1, 1940 3 rw [Fuzz/c0 Boriizzi VI on a dial the liters Patjented 1 7, 1,943 I r T EiQ .ii licacibamlyi. I 1. n i...

This invention relates to a systni for-Smears- ;uring the quantity-gofi-air. sent. out ingohe' or 1 more breaths -and' a vest-pocket apparatus of high precision realizing this system;

-' Up toj this. day complicatedybulky.

tly andhea vyy spirometers have been used for.

method ,ofcontrolling. human respiratio 1 not possible; filhe necessitywas therefo re felt a h r s s estqket i ometem: h inten ion: r fe s. to. ys m lo n measuring-19i the quantity-{oiairbreathed out with high precision and allows further The system is essentially characterised yhy the a fact that the air sent out.from' the ;l -ungs;is used I to revolve a turning organ locatediwithin a small box and this turning organ, by means of a suitaerii n sn rsthe 6593.: a lar e. sale;

, galizethe .apparatusgin a pocket form; v

. n it 1 quantifies ;-'Q 1a r rea qyo i a ii s V m te a arat s o S9 mush a n s I and. er e c-a assi tan ro :beina ak a "b the scw w n. v iti h conveying pipe ble clock wo-rk contrivance and hands, marks";

lungs.

I The apparatus realizing this system comprises a pipe adapted to convey the air breathedout of air sentput fromthe' on a turning element; inside this conveying'pipe.

a system of valves is arranged for. the purpose vo1 making practically constant the pressure of the air which is conveyed to the turning organ so that the latter is revolved by the 'quantity of air conveyed on same, independently -of the pressure of said air. For instance,'the turning.

. organ drives a clock work contriva'nce with which hands are connected showing on a dial the quantity of air conveyed on the turning organ. 'I'o obtainas exact signalling as possible, a

braking system'is also provided 'o-n the opposite side of the intake pipe,'which frees the turning organas soon as the air enterfi the apparatus and slows and brakes said turning organ as soon I as theair stops gOing through.

The turning organ ismade'of light for the purpose of having the least dead weight. 7 I To avoidhavin jany impuritiesand moisture deposit on the turning organ'thereby making it heavy, purifying material isjzarranged inthe 7 conveying pipe, which,.either1physical1y or chem aically, keeps back moisture and other impurities of air. "For instance, glass; wool' may be used for this purpose. r

I The annexeddrawing shows one form of'em bodimenti'of; the vest-pocket spirometer form- I ing object of'this invention, a s an' example.

material i.

-direction.p I I I II V A pipe shaped casing I9 is fur-therarranged in the conveying pipe and it is closed the front" byv means of vnet it; it contains a sub-. stance IE'IQrpurifyin'g-the aim-from moisture, either physically or chemically; such as, for in- ANI YIQF-Am- NT OUIV 'QN r M BEBBEAT .1;

Pavia, Italy; vested intlie Alien- YI l ropert y Custodian I I 1940, serial 43,5 1" 5 wilz' f aos -L 1s. a V he q ins e-in-s i onwI; Fig.2 is the side ,View- (ii the a I laratus 1 I Fig. 3 is a section "accordin t line 3- 3 oishows, ona larger; scale the p rticw I, 'lar'of the valves,a-rrangedintheco tim D31 6 1 ;;Fig;.,5'is

Fig.

the, cro 4.-

In the drawing turnirie organ withjblades |1,f 5; indicates ma grammatically 'thecloc'k v work contr,i vance,- which isdriven by. the turning'forganand which" operates the hand 6 and {lg-18f a reduced portion o fthe-conveyin stance" of glas each a passage hole 12; the. plates [0, [0' are iixedon these rings at points I I, I l so-"asjo os- I 'eill'ate about these points and they- 'arestressed by springs lljto kee thetwo passagesf l2'open;

the positions of the. plates {L0, 'I0"areycon'fined, win the. one and in the other by stops l5 and stance, glass Wool.

The exit opening H is spring25,

" An ordinary-device to bringthe hands to zero'i. V is represented by 26' and. 21.

The apparatus operates'as follows:

. "I'he breathedair goes in from the mouthfv piece attached at ,9, passes through the purify ing; substance l8,-then through the two valves 7 1'0, l fl'jandenters the chamber where the turn- I I 1. "ingr organ 4 is :1ocated. --="It revolves ',the latterj and-consequently drives the clockwork contriv- J ance 5t0 which the hands "6 and I are coupled. f

The air stresses the ftwo plate's Wand I 0;

'pressingithem against stop's' l5 andthereiorejin i the space between the two plates 0."and Je I I II I I I I bOXJ VbY- 1 means ota bayonet cap. 3', for.. inst ance,

I The 'zva l'ye's arranged "in the f' hose is. that f .fikeep -J 'ing constant the pressure of the-air cohveyedto s 1- the turningf'organ; consist essentially: Of two I rings l3. spaced from one another and" having Y infr n-t of ainintake I kopening 22, this exit opening-is controlled-bye; 5

valveand braking device consisting of a'spring V 7 leaf 23' pivoted at 24 and slightly pressed 'byii j there is practically always a. constant pressure of' air for any quantity ofair passing through. The air therefore reaches the turning 'organ withja constant pressure and makesit to refvolve in accordance with the quantity of air passing through and 'not' in accordance-with the pressure of some The man: dc cear a ed at th side controls beginning and stopping of the a movement of the-turning organ. I At the begin:

ning of the passage of the rair, the air raises plate 23 thereby opening ;.the exit'opening a d raising the spring leaf resting on the bladeeef the turning organ so that it is free to revolve. I

As soon as the air passage stops. plate it stressed by spring 25, closes exit 2| and at theg same time it brakes andvstops the turning organ. In this ;way the greatest possible exactpressure control means and said rotor for releasing said braking means when said predetermined pressure value is attained;

2, In a spirometer; a breath driven rotor, a

conduit for supplying breath thereto, said conduit including a. mouthpiece, means in said con- -duit ;betwe n said mouthpiece'and aid rotor for maintaining j a; constant pressureg'as how between] the same and said rotor regardless of the,

pressure between said mouthpiece and said zmeans saidmeans comprising a. 'pair of valves,

H ma age; limfiflng't'he maximum and minimum ness is obtained in measuring, the quantity of 7 air which has passed throughjthe apparatus.

Thisquantity can be easily on dial I of the apparatus where the email hand indicates the 'litersand the large "handthe fractions of a liter of'measured airp ing button 21 n V Y What I claim is:v

and said means; rotor driven meansti rjrecordingthelvmimber of rotations 5am rotor in terms bivoiume 'of breath, 'theulatterzbeing a ."funct n'pt hel rmer; brak ng means ncma 1y. immobiliz ng said ro or; and meansresponsivetothe pressur i said conduitbetweenfsaid The hands may bereturned to zero by springs normally biasing said valves-to the maximu flow position,- the sur- {we of yalves lying in the path ofgas flow zthmuzh said 'conduitso that the valves may be urged toward the minimum position thereby,

f and rotor driven means for recording the numbogol rotations of said rotor in terms of volume of breath, the latter being a function of the !omier.

farm a spirometer a breath'driven rotor, a conduit for supplying breath theretofeaid conduit'including a mouthpiece, means in'said conduit betweenzsaid mouthpiece and said rotor {or maintaining aeonsta'nt pressure gasfiow bet1veen=thesameand said rotor regardless of the pressure; saidfimo'nthpieee and said means,'- said "means 'eompi'ising a pair 'of' valves, adjustable-means for-limiting the minimum v i flow therethrough, means lo;- limiting the maximum flow therethrough, "springs normally biusing said valveste the maaiimum flow position, the surfaceot said waives lying in the path of "gas through said conduit so t'hat the valves may be urged toward the minimum position thereby, and" rotor driven means-for recording the number rotations of saidkotor in terms of volume of reatl'i, the latter being a function of theformer, V V r p v FRANCO BORTINI. 

